Genetius

Phosphite (Phi) and phosphate (Pi) share the same root uptake system, but Phi acts as a biostimulant that modulates plant growth and disease resistance in a species‑ and Pi‑dependent manner. In Arabidopsis, Phi induces hypersensitive‑like cell death and enhances resistance to Plectosphaerella cucumerina, while in rice it counteracts Pi‑induced susceptibility to Magnaporthe oryzae and Fusarium fujikuroi, accompanied by extensive transcriptional reprogramming.

Field experiments combined with RNA sequencing revealed that wheat ploidy influences heat stress resilience, with tetraploid T. turgidum showing the smallest yield loss and hexaploid T. aestivum mounting the largest transcriptional response. Ploidy-dependent differences were observed in differential gene expression, alternative splicing—including hexaploid-specific exon skipping of NF‑YB—and co‑expression networks linked to grain traits, highlighting candidate pathways for breeding heat‑tolerant wheat.

The study applied flow cytometry with DAPI staining to estimate genome size and ploidy levels in approximately 45,000 silica-dried samples spanning 1,135 non‑apomictic angiosperm species from the Eastern Alps, achieving successful ploidy assignment for 97% of the species. A largely universal protocol sufficed for 80% of the samples, while tissue type and buffer modifications were needed for the remainder, revealing that 34% of species contain polyploid cytotypes and 16% are ploidy‑variable.

The study demonstrates that wheat seminal roots and rice crown roots maintain gravitropic setpoint angles (GSAs) by returning to their original growth angles after displacement, and exhibit an antigravitropic offset under clinorotation. Exogenous auxin steepens rooting in both species, indicating conserved hormonal regulation, while lateral root GSA responses differ between wheat and rice.

The study uses a co‑transcriptomic approach to examine interactions between the generalist necrotroph Botrytis cinerea and two closely related legume hosts, common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), across 72 pathogen isolates. While lesion size is mainly driven by pathogen genetic variation, both host and pathogen transcriptomes exhibit strong host × isolate interactions, revealing extensive transcriptional plasticity and host‑specific rewiring of virulence and defense networks that lead to similar disease outcomes.

The study compared narrow-band laser diode (LD) lighting with broad-band LED lighting under monochromatic blue and combined red‑blue spectra in tobacco, lettuce, and Arabidopsis, finding that LDs reduced photosynthetic rates but improved canopy architecture and delayed lower‑leaf senescence. When red and blue were combined, LD lighting mitigated continuous‑light stress and enhanced growth, chlorophyll content, and overall plant health, highlighting spectral bandwidth as a key lever for indoor horticulture.

The study examined anthocyanin pigmentation across 183 Cucurbitaceae species and found a systematic loss of key biosynthetic and regulatory genes, indicating that anthocyanin absence is widespread in this family. Phylogenomic and synteny analyses support a stepwise loss of anthocyanin pathways, likely compensated partially by carotenoid‐based coloration.

The study compared expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) families in the moss Physcomitrium patens and barley Hordeum vulgare under stress, highlighting distinct patterns especially in the GABA‑shunt‑related ALDH5, ALDH10 and ALDH21 families. Functional analyses—including kinetic assays, crystal structure determination of PpALDH5F1, and knockout mutants—revealed that loss of specific ALDH genes in moss impairs growth, alters GABA, glutamate and glutamine levels, and triggers up‑regulation of glutathione‑S‑transferase genes as a compensatory oxidative‑stress response.

The study examined how corolla morphology predicts nectar volume and sugar concentration across 156 flowering plant species from the UK and Zambia, distinguishing tubular from non‑tubular flowers. Linear and mixed‑effects models revealed that tube length and width drive higher nectar rewards in tubular flowers, while corolla width and shape are key predictors in non‑tubular forms, with weak phylogenetic constraints on nectar volume. These findings provide simple morphological proxies for estimating nectar resources relevant to mosquito and pollinator ecology.

The study co‑cultured cytokinin‑overproducing ckx2 mutant rice (Oryza sativa) with common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and found that the mutant rice enhanced fish growth by ~10% and improved antibacterial resistance, effects that depended on alterations of the soil microbial community. Rice‑derived cytokinins reshaped soil microbiota, which were subsequently transferred to the fish gut, modulating keystone microbes to increase short‑chain fatty acid production and carbohydrate degradation, thereby promoting cross‑kingdom growth.